The Assignment
by Junebugsm
Summary: Callie accidentally handed in the wrong assignment - the one where she admitted that she wanted to run away again, before Stef and Lena could decide to undo her adoption.
1. Chapter 1

**Callie accidentally handed in the wrong assignment - the one where she admitted that she wanted to run away again, before Stef and Lena could decide to undo her adoption.**

(Just an idea I had about how the moms would assure Callie that she was still loved and wanted.)

* * *

Timothy had introduced Callie to writing. She'd never considered it before she joined his class but his incessant encouragement for writing made her realize that all the feelings and thoughts she'd been bottling up for years could be put down on paper and then destroyed so that she didn't have to carry it all inside anymore. It was a release for Callie and she didn't have to ever let anyone read it if she didn't want to. There were so many things she could admit on paper and part of the release was finding new and inventive ways of destroying them. The first one about Liam had been torn up because of Talya, and at that time she didn't think she'd ever write so honestly again. But after a while she found herself once again baring her heart and soul out in words.

She wrote about how relieved she felt that she as back home where she belonged. She admitted that her time at Girl's United had done her good but the relief and security she felt at being back was something she'd never felt before. She'd burned that sheet of paper in a tin can in the back yard one afternoon when she was alone. Her essay about finding out that Donald wasn't her birth father was buried, just like her mother and her regret at choosing to live with Robert was written on a paper napkin from the burger stand and then tossed into the waves.

Today, Callie had spent her lunch writing about her latest regret - her union with Brandon and what would now happen because of it. She easily filled one page and was just a few lines into another when the bell rang and she headed to Timothy's English class.

"So, today we're going to write about loss." Timothy announced to his senior class. "It can be any kind of loss - the loss of a loved one, the loss of a dream, the loss of time. Think of something that you regret having lost and how your life changed because of it."

This topic was easy for Callie - she would fearlessly bet that of all the kids currently in the classroom, she'd lost the most. She took a new sheet of paper and began to write about losing her mother and along with that her freedom, security and childhood. She wrote about how her entire life had changed the moment her dad got behind the wheel even though he was drunk. Page after page Callie talked about the repercussions of the loss of her mother and she soon lost track of time. The bell rang and Timothy began collecting everyone's papers but Callie was far from done - there was just too much to write in a forty minute class.

"You can finish when I return it Callie." Timothy offered when everyone else's papers had been collected. "It doesn't matter that it's not complete, I just need to see how your writing has improved over the term."

Callie reluctantly collected all three sheets she'd written and gave them over to Timothy, or so she thought - little did she realize that she'd handed in a fourth sheet as well. The one where she admitted to wanting to run away.

* * *

Timothy knew instantly that this page wasn't part of his assignment and the right thing to do would be to return it to Callie and respect her privacy but the words made his gut clench and so he did what he had to do.

"Lena?" Timothy knocked on the vice-principal's door and waited for her nod for him to enter.

"Sorry to disturb you but I really thought I should give this to you." He said as he handed Lena the page. "Callie accidentally handed it in with her assignment." He said nervously.

Lena took the sheet and placed it on her desk, assuming that Timothy just wanted her to return it to Callie.

"I would have returned it to her myself but I really think you should read it." Timothy added, pausing a moment as Lena's expression turned to a frown, wondering what her daughter had written. "I don't know all the details, that's all I got, but it seems pretty serious."

"Thank you." Lena said, almost dismissively, desperate to read the paper and find out what had the teacher so worried.

* * *

 _...I never should have done it. I know it now and I knew it then. But I did and I can't take it back. It was the only way I could think of to still be tied to this family. I couldn't lose them. I know they always said I would be part of the family no matter where I live or what I did but it's not the same. I wanted to be Callie Adams Foster so bad. And I finally got it but I screwed it up and now they are so mad at me. If they decide that they don't want me anymore and they undo my adoption I don't think I could live. I'd rather run away than stick around to hear those words..._

Lena felt like crying as she read the words. She could practically feel the pain and fear her daughter was obviously feeling and she knew that they had to handle this soon. Callie would run, she knew that; it was the girl's M.O. and they couldn't wait any longer. They had waited until Nick was found and then a few days for everyone to settle down after the drama. Then they were waiting for the other kids to be out of the house but clearly they were waiting too long.

Lena called Stef and asked her to meet her at the school immediately. They had to discuss this so that they could talk to Callie together as soon as school was over. Lena didn't want to give Callie a chance to disappear.

"Well, we tell her we aren't undoing anything." Stef said as she finished reading the page. "We're mad and upset, yes, but she's still our daughter."

"She obviously doesn't know that." Lena commented. "I mean, Brandon's just as much to blame for this so it's not right that she thinks her punishment would be getting rid of her while Brandon's would be a grounding or something."

"If anything, I think Brandon is more to blame." Stef commented, shaking her head at just how messed up everything seemed. "He knew her history and he knew how much he could mess things up for her."

"She knew it too." Lena said softly, realizing that laying more blame on either one was unfair. "Both times they both knew it was wrong. It's why she ran last time as well. Thankfully this time we have a chance to stop her."

"Um." Stef nodded with relief as she began to reread the paragraph as Lena picked up her phone to text Timothy.

* * *

 _Thank you for giving me Callie's essay._ Lena texted the English teacher.

 _Of course. It seemed important. I really hope she understands why I didn't return it to her instead._ Timothy replied.

 _I'll make sure she does. You did the right thing._ Lena sent back, know just how strongly Timothy felt about his students privacy. He often had his students write assignments just for themselves but she was definitely glad that he didn't keep this one to himself.

 _Thanks._ Timothy smiled. He knew that Lena and Stef would take care of whatever it was that Callie was so worried about. He just hoped that it didn't stop the girl from writing or from trusting him either.

"Um... Timothy." His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door and when he looked up, the girl in question was standing nervously waiting to enter.

 _She's here._ He quickly texted his boss before turning his attention to the girl.

"Have you started checking our essays yet?" Callie asked curiously. "I think I handed in an extra sheet by mistake and I really need it." She explained, hoping to get the paper back and destroy it.

"Um, I have actually and I did read yours. It was the last one submitted so it was right on top." Timothy explained as he pulled out Callie's essay from the pile. "I have to say your writing has gotten very good since you first came here. I can actually feel all the pain you were going through since your mother's passing." He praised, hoping to stall long enough for Lena to get here.

"Thanks." Callie smiled halfheartedly, still hoping to just her what she'd come for and disappear. "The extra page?" She questioned, reminding him of why she was here in the first place.

"Right." Timothy said, wondering what to say exactly.

But thankfully for him he didn't have to say anything for at that moment Lena's voice was heard from the doorway.

"Callie." Lena said, drawing the girl's attention.

Callie turned to find Stef and Lena standing at the classroom door, determined looks on their faces. She turned back to Timothy, already knowing what he'd done. Timothy looked back at her, his face filled with sympathy but no regret. He knew he'd done the right thing and he wasn't sorry about it.

"Come on Callie, let's go home." Stef said, more than ready to get her home and really talk to her.


	2. Chapter 2

The drive home was silent as each one was lost in their own thoughts. Callie could see her sheet of paper folded unevenly in Lena's hand and how she wished she could undo her mistake of submitting it. Now she had no choice but to sit and listen to them tell her that they'd made a huge mistake in adopting her and she'd once again be sent elsewhere. But in a way she also felt relief for the constant waiting and worrying was eating her up inside.

Lena fingered the sheet nervously as she thought about just how close they came to Callie running away again. She knew that this time Callie would make sure she couldn't be found and the chances that they might never have seen the girl again were high and that alone made Lena want to lock her up at home and ever let her out of her sight again.

Stef on the other hand, was torn between anger, worry and sadness. Her love for Callie didn't change one bit even though she felt so betrayed and deceived by her two oldest children. She wanted to feel that anger and she wanted them to feel it too but now she was being forced to set it aside because their daughter took it to mean that they didn't want her any more.

The drive home from school never seemed so short before for none of them were truly ready for the conversation that they were about to have. But alas, Stef was soon stopping in the driveway and they all got out of the car and made their way to the living room.

"Are you going to undo my adoption?" Callie asked the moment they were all in the living room. They hadn't even sat down yet but she just couldn't wait any longer.

"No." Stef and Lena both replied instantly. The firmness and clarity with which they said it made Callie realize that they had never even considered the option.

"I told you Callie, we would never not want you." Stef reminded her.

"Yeah, but that was before I slept with your son." Callie pointed out. She didn't think something like this would be covered by that promise.

"You slept with your _brother_." Stef corrected. " _My son_ implies that you are not my daughter, and you are." She stated firmly. There was no softness in her voice for she was upset and angry but she was also sure to make the girl know that she was loved.

Callie looked away. As relieved as she was to hear them talk about her like she was still a part of them, she also felt that much worse for betraying them in the first place. They had done everything for her and she had hurt them and there was nothing she could ever do to make it right.

"Honey, you did something wrong and yes, we're angry but that doesn't make you any less a part of this family." Lena said, more gently than Stef as she took a Stef closer to Callie rested a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't matter where you came from or how you got here, you are our daughter now and you will be for the rest of your life."

Callie looked between the two women, unsure of what to say. She'd only ever hoped that this is what they would say but it was definitely not what she expected. She had made a huge mistake and betrayed their trust and while Brandon was just as much involved in it - he wasn't the one they took a huge chance on.

"You are our daughter and Brandon is our son." Stef added. "I can't send him back to where he came from just because I'm angry with him and the same goes for you."

"Sweetheart, you never have to worry about us not wanting you, no matter what you do." Lena pushed harder, determined to get Callie to understand and truly believe. "There may be punishments and consequences but giving up on you will never be one of them."

"Okay." Callie said softly, her eyes damp and her nose runny. "Okay." She said again, just to show that she believed them.

A silence fell over them as they all thought this entire situation through. There were so many questions and so many possible outcomes that it was impossible to discuss them all. But the only thing that mattered was that they were communicating.

"You know Callie, we have a right to be angry." Stef finally said, still not completely over the hurt she was feeling. "We trusted you and you broke that trust and we have a right to be angry and we have a right to hurt. I get that you felt insecure because of all you've been through but that doesn't make us hurt any less." Her voice caught slightly as she admitted the pain she was feeling. "Running away from all this, adding to our stress and hurt, that's unfair."

"I wasn't running." Callie said softly, her tears finally falling at the ache in Stef's voice.

"You wrote that you wanted to." Lena reminded her, handing over the paper that Callie was longing to destroy.

"I just couldn't bear to hear you say that you didn't want me." Callie explained. "Leaving of my own choice would have hurt less but I couldn't do that either."

"It wouldn't have hurt less." Stef said firmly. "It would have hurt you just as much and it would have hurt us too." Her own eyes were now red with the tears she was trying to hold back. "It wouldn't have damn near killed me." She added, her body shuddering slightly at the thought.

Callie looked away, unsure of what to say for there was absolutely nothing she could say or do that would make this okay. The mistake was made and the hurt was caused and now she had to just face the consequences - whatever they were. One thing she knew for certain was that however they punished her, it would be nothing compared to the heartache she felt by the disappointment and hurt on their faces.

"So what now?" Callie asked softly, winding what her punishment would be.

"I don't know." Stef answered honestly as she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in defeat.

"Callie, are you in love with Brandon?" Lena asked straight out, knowing that they first had to figure that out before they could go any further.

"No." Callie answered as she too shook her head vehemently.

"Are you sure?" Lena asked for confirmation. She didn't want Callie to just say what they wanted to hear but what she was truly feeling. "I need you to tell us the truth."

Callie finally sat down on the couch and thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out how to put her feelings into words. "I like him." She finally admitted, not looking at either of them directly in the eye. "At first I just wanted to prove to myself that my judgement about guys wasn't off, after Liam." She admitted, glancing at them for a moment. "But then, when he was genuinely nice to me I... I don't know, fell for him I guess." She said, trying to figure out for herself what she truly felt. "I like him and I know he likes me." At this point she finally looked up at Stef directly in the eye. "But I love this family - _my_ family - and I don't want anything to ruin that."

Stef was looking back at Callie as she said all this but once she was done she looked away because no matter what - things were just never going to be the same again.

Callie could see the conflict in Stef's face and she felt the need to explain further. "When I thought I couldn't get adopted, he seemed to be my last link to this family."

"You were always family." Stef snapped slightly, her head whipping back towards Callie. "From the moment we decided to adopt you and you said yes, you became family.

"It's not the same." Callie whispered. They had told her several times that being adopted legally wouldn't make them love her any less - the first time was when they found out that Donald wasn't her biological father and then again when Sophia destroyed the abandonment papers and yet again when Robert was fighting for custody and Callie decided to go and live with him. They had always told her that she'd be their daughter no matter what and that one day - even if they had to wait until she was eighteen - they would adopt her. But Callie knew that she needed that piece of paper - that tangible bit of evidence that proved that she was one of them. Until she had that she would always feel like it was all just an illusion. And when it all seemed to be slipping thought her fingers, she held on to the one bit of thread she thought she had left.

"And now it will never be the same." Stef said sadly as she too sat down on one of the arm chairs, knowing full well that they were talking about two different things.

"It won't ever happen again." Callie promised softly, aware that no matter how much she promised it, they wouldn't truly believe her because they no longer truly trusted her.

Lena sat down beside Callie and took her hands in her own. "We know you're trying." She said supportively. "But there will be some changes around here." She added.

"You and Brandon are _not_ to be alone together _ever_." Stef quickly started, determined to get this particular rule firmly in place. "No excuses, no circumstances, no conditions - you and Brandon are ever together if someone else isn't around."

Callie looked at Stef wondering how exactly this was going to work. Who was the _someone else?_ Did it mean anyone or just one of the moms? Were they ever allowed to talk again? Could they be friends? Brandon had become one of her best friends and the thought of losing him in that sense really hurt.

"We want to keep things as smooth as possible." Lena added, knowing that ever since Brandon helped Callie get to Jude, they had become good friends as well. "We are not saying that you can't be friends with him, we are just taking away the temptation to... go beyond friendship." She explained.

"No more sneaking into his room in the middle of the night either." Stef stated, remembering how she felt when she found them whispering quietly when they thought everyone was asleep.

"We were just talking." Callie mumbled, knowing that Stef wouldn't believe her and didn't even want to hear it anyway.

"Honey, we know this seems unfair." Lena sympathized, having heard Callie's statement since she was sitting right next to her. "But you two need to earn back our trust and we need to feel confident in loosening the reigns."

"I get it." Callie nodded. And she did. She knew that it was going to take a lot for them to trust her again and she was determined to do whatever she had to to get it. They had already taken a chance on her once and now they were doing it again and she was determined not to fail them again.

"You can be friends." Lena reminded her. "Just don't go beyond that." She pleaded.

"You're also grounded for a month." Stef added and then felt the need to explain why. "For lying, for sneaking out of your room when you should have been in bed, for disobeying us and for..." She trailed off, not even saying the real reason. "School and back and nothing else." She said.

"Okay." Callie nodded, accepting her punishment. She knew something like this was inevitable and she was just thankful that they still loved and wanted her.

"Brandon has no rights to the car until he comes back home and when he does he will have to pay for his own gas and his own phone from now on." Stef added. "He may be eighteen and determined to do things his own way but that doesn't mean he goes unpunished." She said, letting Callie know that they did not hold her solely responsible for their actions.

Callie nodded, smiling slightly to herself. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever imagine finding a family that would treat her the same as a biological child. She knew she'd gotten extremely lucky and she was never going to taken them for granted - that she was sure of."

"We love you." Lena said as she rubbed Callie's back comfortingly.

"I love you too." Callie replied, looking first at Lena and then at Stef.

"Go start your homework." Lena said as she got up to go and start dinner.

Callie stood up and grabbed her backpack, pausing for just a moment before she began to walk towards the stairs.

"We're here if you need us." Stef said to Callie's retreating figure.

Callie nodded once in understanding and then disappeared up the stairs as Lena looked on with love. Stef was hurt and angry but that never stopped her from still being there for her family whenever they needed her. They would get through this just like they get through everything. Things may never be entirely the same again but just as long as they were together then they would find a way to make it work.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

First, thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this. I know I don't write as often as I used to and lately I feel like my stories are very rushed (I barely even proof anymore) but I still enjoy it and I hope you do too. I also want to apologize to everyone who's stories I am reading - I've basically stopped reviewing and I feel like a witch for it. I will definitely do better but just so you know - if I've favorited your story then I love it.

If I were Courtney, I would not have let Brandon move in. Being a single parent with a young son, I would be very careful about bringing someone into my son's life on a permanent basis, no matter how kind, good and helpful he is. I would wait until things got really serious before making him a permeant figure in my kids life. Brandon shouldn't just assume that Courtney wants him to move in and she should feel like she has no choice since he got her the house. But then again... It's Brandon and he's a selfish, entitled brat.

As much as I loved the moms reassuring Callie that they still loved and wanted her, I once again felt like consequences were overlooked. They were hurt and betrayed and that doesn't just go away because Callie is scared. Okay, she was insecure so they reassured her but they do have a right to be angry without worrying about her reaction.

About the sequel to **Girl Next Door**. I'm having a little trouble finding a flow because I keep thinking it's too similar to **Place at the Table** by **Meyouthem123** (who requested Girl Next Door). I want it to be different and so it will take a while. In the mean time I have another oneshot request that will be up in a couple of days and then I will either work on my version of season 4 or another sequel to the **Push** series. I know I originally gave you the vote but that story just isn't flowing yet. As for **History** , I've got a bit of writer's block there too but it will be back eventually. Sorry for the long wait but I have the lightest sleeper for a daughter in the world and no one besides me to look after her so daytimes are basically only for her. I only write after she's in bed and that's also if I'm not dead myself.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing. You guys are the best.

Love Junebug.


End file.
